Tag Archives: West Sacramento

Firefighter saves a child, gets an honor

IAN GILMOUR (second from right) was recognized by the West Sacramento City Council last month. With him above are Councilmen Chris Ledesma and Mark Johannessen, Fire Chief Al Terrell, and council members Bill Kristoff and Oscar Villegas (courtesy photo)

FROM THE WEST SACRAMENTO NEWS-LEDGER — AUG 1, 2012 —

Ian Gilmour, a firefighter/emergency medical technician with the West Sacramento Fire Department, was chosen by the national Veterans of Foreign Wars organization as “firefighter of the year” for 2012.

Nominees were in the hundreds, reports Gary Reason, commander of Post 8762 in West Sacramento. They were graded partly on their reputation among their colleagues.

Gilmour is credited with saving the life of a child last year. Firefighters “arrived on the scene finding a lifeless child next to the swimming pool,” said the local fire department, and Gilmour took the youth to an ambulance.

[adrotate group=”7″] They administered CPR and got a pulse, with Gilmour continuing resuscitation efforts in the ambulance.

The child recovered — and eventually had a chance to visit Station 45 in Southhport and the crew that saved his life.

Gilmour received a $500 prize from the VFW as part of his award — which he donated to the Wounded Warrior Project and the National Fallen Firefighter Foundation.

Yes, you can support local journalism, support this website, and see all the News-Ledger’s articles every week! Subscribe to the News-Ledge newspaper. It’s only $20 per year within West Sacramento – once a week, delivered to your mailbox.

You can even try it for free for two months if you live in West Sacramento. Just send your name and mailing address to FreeTrial@news-ledger.com (offer open to new subscribers in West Sacramento ZIP codes 95691 & 95605).

Copyright News-Ledger 2012

West Yolo hills seek ‘conservation area’ status

FROM THE WEST SACRAMENTO NEWS-LEDGER — AUG 1, 2012 —

The office of Senator Barbara Boxer announced last month that she had introduced legislation to create a 319,000-acre “Berryessa Snow Mountain Conservation Area” from a region that spans the counties of Yolo, Lake, Mendocino and Napa.

“The Berryessa Snow Mountain region is one of California’s treasures,” she was quoted, “and this bill will help ensure that it is protected for future generations to enjoy.”

[adrotate group=”9″] The new designation would put all the land into one management plan to better protect it, said Boxer’s office.

Copyright News-Ledger 2012

Anti-crime block parties this Tuesday

FROM THE WEST SACRAMENTO NEWS-LEDGER —

The annual “National Night Out” returns on Tuesday.

West Sacramento police and local neighborhood blocks will get together for block parties with a crime-fighting message. If past years are any indication, there will be visits from police, K-9 units, military personnel and other special guests at many of the local sites.

Residents are encouraged to turn on their outdoor lights and visit a local block party.

[adrotate group=”10″] Scheduled for block parties between 6 and 9:30 p.m. on Tuesday are the following locations:

1400 Anna Street, (Baptist Church)

500 7th Street

685 Lighthouse Drive (Las Casitas Apartments)

1611 Madrone Street (Sunset Village Apartments)

2455 West Capitol Ave. (West Capitol courtyards)

1016 Meadow Road

1710 Maryland Ave.

409 10th Street

1613 19th Street

Aster Street and Manchester Street

2683 Bethel Way

Barona Court

3079 Apache Street

Sumatra and Madura Street (corner)

3590 Antigua Street

3650 Bass Road

3170 Venice Street

(The above list may have been updated since the News-Ledger published it on Aug. 1.)

This year’s “featured site” is at the corner of Aster Avenue and Manchester Street, with activities planned at 7:30 p.m.

According to the West Sacramento Police Department, the annual (national) event is intended to raise awareness of crime prevention, generate support for local anti-crime measures and “send a message to criminals that neighborhoods are organized and fighting back.”

For information, call 617-4937.

Yes, you can support local journalism, support this website, and see all the News-Ledger’s articles every week! Subscribe to the News-Ledge newspaper. It’s only $20 per year within West Sacramento – once a week, delivered to your mailbox.

You can even try it for free for two months if you live in West Sacramento. Just send your name and mailing address to FreeTrial@news-ledger.com (offer open to new subscribers in West Sacramento ZIP codes 95691 & 95605).

Copyright News-Ledger 2012

Toy bomb forces evacuation in West Sac

An 8-year old boy confessed that he placed this novelty item as a prank (courtesy of West Sacramento Fire Department)

Firefighters and police responded on July 17 to the 500-block of Laurel Lane, after a citizen reported what appeared to be a bundle of dynamite behind some garbage cans next to his home. From the street, firefighters could see the bundle “with what appeared to be a wire coming from the bundle to a small metallic box,” reports the West Sacramento Fire Department.

“They decided to evacuate all of the residences surrounding the suspicious device for safety, and the Yolo County Bomb Squad was called to the scene. Approximately ten homes were cleared of occupants.”

Then the case took a different turn:

“While waiting for the bomb squad to investigate the device, WSPD officers were approached by a young boy who informed them that the device was a novelty item he had placed there. Using this information, the bomb squad technicians confirmed that the device was not hazardous and removed it from the scene.”

Added Sergeant Nathan Steele of the West Sacramento Police Department:

“An eight-year old boy was playing with a novelty fake bomb. No charges were filed.”

Yes, you can support local journalism, support this website, and see all the News-Ledger’s articles every week! Subscribe to the News-Ledge newspaper. It’s only $20 per year within West Sacramento – once a week, delivered to your mailbox.

[adrotate group=”9″] You can even try it for free for two months if you live in West Sacramento. Just send your name and mailing address to FreeTrial@news-ledger.com (offer open to new subscribers in West Sacramento ZIP codes 95691 & 95605).

Copyright News-Ledger 2012

City council incumbents state their intentions; challengers may file by Aug. 10

NEWS-LEDGER — JULY 25, 2012

By Steve Marschke, News-Ledger Editor

A number of seats for West Sacramento city office and local school board will be on the ballot on November 6.

MAYOR CHRISTOPHER CABALDON says he'll run for another two-year term this fall

Voters will be asked whether to return Christopher Cabaldon for another two-year term as mayor, and whether to give city council members Bill Kristoff and Oscar Villegas new four-year terms.

Also up for their regularly-scheduled elections will be three of the five seats on the Washington Unified School District Board of Trustees. They’re the seats now held by board president Teresa Blackmer and by Mary Leland and David Westin.

The three incumbents in the city race — Mayor Cabaldon and councilmen Villegas and Kristoff — each told the News-Ledger this week they will run again.

“The city is in solid shape,” reported Cabaldon. “We have the economic challenges from the economy and from the state’s challenges, but we’re pushing through this without massive service cuts, swimming pool closures, fire station cuts, layoffs or certainly bankruptcy. We’re seeing economic development activity start to pick up.”

Developer activity and building permits are creeping up, he said. Foreclosures are sliding down. “The trends which have been negative for the past three years are now in the other direction,” said Cabaldon.

[adrotate group=”9″] He said West Sacramento needs to continue to focus on flood protection — “keeping the laser-focus of the city on what is a gigantic project for a city of our size.” He also wants to push waterfront development, including a new hotel, partly for economic benefit and partly for the “quality of life” issues that he expects new restaurants and other amenities to bring to all West Sacramentans.

And Cabaldon believes the city government needs to keep pushing economic development, even though the state has taken away the tools that used to be available from the local redevelopment agency.

Cabaldon, 46, has three “day jobs” with educational policy connections. He’s a program officer for the nonprofit California Education Policy Fund, executive director of the Linked Learning Alliance, and a director of the California Legislative Staff Education Institute.

COUNCILMAN OSCAR VILLEGAS will 'absolutely' seek another four-year term for West Sacramento

Villegas, 45, works for a state agency that oversees state and local corrections department issues.

What’s he done on the council?

“I have been able to contribute to a balanced approach,” said Villegas. “My approach comes from a lot of on-the-job training, but I was born and raised here.”

He said he wants to keep focusing on “the whole idea of making our fiscal practices sustainable.”

“And the flood issue, crime rate and public safety issues have become near and dear to me.”

Bill Kristoff is a retired postal employee, age 65.

“I took out my (reelection) papers and I’m in the process of gathering the signatures,” said Kristoff.

“The city’s in pretty good shape,” he commented. “We’ve been in better shape in the past, but we’re doing the right things. There are a lot of projects being talked about — although I only really get excited once I see sticks in the ground.”

“Flood control is out top priority,” Kristoff agreed. “Making sure our budget is secure and making sure we have adequate funds to supply services is another.”

Closing date to file as a candidate for this election is August 10, although candidates start their paperwork well in advance. If any of the incumbents does not file by Aug. 10, the filing period for challengers will be extended to Aug. 15. Anyone interested in running for mayor or city council should contact the city clerk’s office at 617-4500 or 1110 West Capitol Avenue.

COUNCILMAN BILL KRISTOFF: On the council since the beginning in 1987, Kristoff agrees flood control is still the major priority

The deadlines to become a candidate for school board are the same. For more information or to become a WUSD school board candidate, contact the Yolo County Elections Department, 625 Court Street Room B05 in Woodland, (530) 666-8133.

Yes, you can support local journalism, support this website, and see all the News-Ledger’s articles every week! Subscribe to the News-Ledge newspaper. It’s only $20 per year within West Sacramento – once a week, delivered to your mailbox.

You can even try it for free for two months if you live in West Sacramento. Just send your name and mailing address to FreeTrial@news-ledger.com (offer open to new subscribers in West Sacramento ZIP codes 95691 & 95605).

[adrotate group=”4″]

Copyright News-Ledger 2012

City video contest: entries due Sept. 6

[adrotate group=”7″] From the West Sacramento News-Ledger

Deadline for a City of West Sacramento video contest has been extended to Sept. 6. Prizes include an iPad 2 and $300 gift cards from West Sacramento businesses. Make a short video (three minutes or less) “telling or showing…what you like about West Sacramento.”

Deadline for group solar buy-in

[adrotate group=”10″] From the West Sacramento News-Ledger

By purchasing solar voltaic systems, solar thermal equipment or other energy efficiency measures in a group, you can save money. Deadline to enroll is Aug. 7 for the program offered by Local Governments for Sustainability USA. As of Friday, 156 Yolo County members had signed up, approaching the goal of 175. if the group collectively installs 250 kW of solar power generation, contractor REC Solar will offer a rebate of $100 per kW up to $500.